As the 2005 college football season was winding down, there were some outside observers of the USC team who believed a good case could be made that LenDale White was actually a better NFL prospect than teammate Reggie Bush, Heisman Trophy aside.

On Sunday, any such argument disappeared as Bush put on a fine performance during the school’s annual pro day for NFL scouts. The only thing fine that White did was dining with the Denver Broncos on Saturday night.

White weighed in at 244 pounds, up six pounds from the doughy 238 pounds he displayed at the NFL scouting combine in February. White also did his best not to display much by wearing a loose-fitting warm-up suit for the entire workout. This was after White drew audible groans from NFL scouts when he bared his chest at the combine.

As one NFL general manager said after seeing White at the combine: “The guy needed a bra, it was ridiculous. You come to the combine looking like that and you want to be a first-round pick? Come on. The guy had obviously been doing nothing.”

On Sunday, White benched 225 pounds all of 15 times. That’s one more than USC punter Tom Malone and nine less than Bush, who White happens to outweigh by 42 pounds. After doing the bench, White called it a day. He didn’t run the 40-yard dash or do any of the other myriad of drills that so many scouts and coaches were looking forward to.

Perhaps this is why so many people are now thinking of White in company with Maurice Clarett than with Bush.

“We had one of our scouts go up and ask him what was going on (after White didn’t run),” another executive said. “The kid said his hamstring was tight or something like that. Then we tried to find out when he was going to run and he didn’t know. It didn’t even sound like he was going to run. What does this kid think?”

This, of course, is why you never heard the argument for White over Bush coming out of USC (unless it was White’s mom or dad saying it). Bush put on his show for the scouts on Sunday, running anywhere between a 4.33 to a 4.40 in the 40-yard. Bush did the aforementioned 24 reps and everything else was in order.

Three scouts and coaches who saw him said Bush didn’t do anything to hurt himself, and the notion that he might fall from the top spot in the draft seemed far-fetched. While it’s possible that Houston will trade out of the No. 1 spot, the thought is that it’s only because they will get a great offer. Not because Bush didn’t impress them.

But the point in all of this is that Bush took care of his business when he could have been the one living off his body of work the past two years. White did not. In fact, he showed to NFL people what so many people at USC have seen since he got there.

Lots of ability. Little work ethic.

“The guy can play, but he just gets by,” said a former USC offensive player who was teammates with White. “He coasted in practice and he coasted in the offseason. He came in thinking he just had to put in his time and that’s what you see now. People think he’s great and the talent is there … but the stuff he did was just because he played next to Reggie and with all those other guys around him. If he had really worked at it, he would have been amazing.” - MSNBC

Link: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12126007/

83-Steelers-43

04-04-2006, 06:08 PM

“The guy needed a bra, it was ridiculous. You come to the combine looking like that and you want to be a first-round pick? Come on. The guy had obviously been doing nothing.”

Ouch.

And..........

“The guy can play, but he just gets by,” said a former USC offensive player who was teammates with White. “He coasted in practice and he coasted in the offseason. He came in thinking he just had to put in his time and that’s what you see now. People think he’s great and the talent is there … but the stuff he did was just because he played next to Reggie and with all those other guys around him. If he had really worked at it, he would have been amazing.”

Ouch.

Midnightwriter1

04-04-2006, 06:09 PM

I am rollin at this .........

"As one NFL general manager said after seeing White at the combine: “The guy needed a bra, it was ridiculous. You come to the combine looking like that and you want to be a first-round pick? Come on. The guy had obviously been doing nothing.”

schonrph

04-04-2006, 06:47 PM

maybe, he just wants to fall to the 32nd spot in the draft, because he really wants to be a steeler, lol

SteelerDan43

04-04-2006, 06:49 PM

"As one NFL general manager said after seeing White at the combine: ?The guy needed a bra, it was ridiculous. You come to the combine looking like that and you want to be a first-round pick? Come on. The guy had obviously been doing nothing.?

Gotta watch out for the man boob! :busted:

BlackNGold203

04-04-2006, 06:53 PM

Everybody still praying we get this guy?

no thanks...I'll pass

Stlrs4Life

04-04-2006, 07:24 PM

Man, I really liked this guy. Starting to think otherwise now, if the above is true.

Koopa

04-04-2006, 08:36 PM

like a lot of ppl been saying, what does this matter, they said he's been like this, but he's a beast on the field and that's all that matters, it's not like he's stealing shit from ppl and shit like that so comparing him to clarett is stupid. if he's avalibable at 32 i'd take him in a heart beat cause he'll be a huge upgrade to what we have, him and willie will be lethal together

Atlanta Dan

04-04-2006, 09:07 PM

White has dropped to the #29 position and is drafted by the Jets in the first round of the latest SI.com draft.

I believe the Clarett comparison in the msnbc.com article has everything to do with being out of shape and nothing to do with Clarett's character issues. With Lawrence Taylor being Exhibit A, as long as you get it done on game day the NFL is willing to overlook just about anything off the field. What teams will not overlook are the flaws in a player who gets out of shape before he signs the multi-million $$$ contract.

klick81

04-04-2006, 09:15 PM

Ouch...

drizze99

04-04-2006, 10:42 PM

This is why I am not high on the kid any more. I bet he flakes out of the NFL. You have to have some type of work ethic and and it doesn't sound like he has any... BUST!

83-Steelers-43

04-04-2006, 10:59 PM

Lack of work ethic is not a good sign. What he did on a college playing field will be totally different than what he can do on an NFL playing field. For me, this article has me questioning LenDale White.

Koopa

04-04-2006, 11:30 PM

well i guess ya'll are right, but i just want a big back, because i ain't really comfortable with wille, those -2 yards, -2 yards, +12 yards he does don't impress me much, i rather have a guy that can pound and consistently move the ball foward, so i'm just trying to stay positive with lendale cause he could be that back. now i'm not saying willie can't be consistent but he hasn't proven he can and i have a lot of doubts, and i think he'll never be a back that can carry the load on his own, that's why i want lendale, or humes to groom and duce to stay healthy because again willie to me can't be that back we can count on every down.

also don't get this twisted i have a lot of love for willie and what he's been able to do, i'm just giving my opinion, not trying to bash willie cause i hope we can resign him and keep for a while, cause if we can get lendale and maybe change his work ethic or another young big back they'll be deadly for quite some time

Midnightwriter1

04-04-2006, 11:34 PM

not that i dont belive the post... but that is first i have seen of those remarks and i check an aweful lot of sites on a daily basis and i havnt seen that one anywhere... Is there a link by chance you could put in ?

Haiku_Dirtt

04-05-2006, 12:07 AM

He's a player. I'm hoping it's just the end of a very long hangover. Clarett comparison is a little premature but he should turn off the cell phone and get down to business.

Haiku_Dirtt

04-05-2006, 12:12 AM

not that i dont belive the post... but that is first i have seen of those remarks and i check an aweful lot of sites on a daily basis and i havnt seen that one anywhere... Is there a link by chance you could put in ?

I read the story last night but I cleared my cache already.

I'm curious what Pete Carroll's take is on White. He is a junior and young but a cancer he is not...at least I don't suspect it.

Midnightwriter1

04-05-2006, 12:17 AM

I just ask cause i did not see that story at any of the links that i visit and there are about 20 of them ... so i wanted to see where the link was cause something like that on a player seems like would have reached every outlet there is so i wanted to see where this story on White came from or if was someone's opinion from a web page.

Suitanim

04-05-2006, 09:53 AM

This is a catch-22 for Steelers fans. If you wanted him to fall to #32, he needed to have happen exactly what IS happening, namely some reports of problems and not living up to the hype...so, if you wanted him at 32 before, you should still want him at 32 now.

Regardless, I doubt he makes it past the Denver pick in the mid-teens.

83-Steelers-43

04-05-2006, 10:46 AM

I just ask cause i did not see that story at any of the links that i visit and there are about 20 of them ... so i wanted to see where the link was cause something like that on a player seems like would have reached every outlet there is so i wanted to see where this story on White came from or if was someone's opinion from a web page.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12126007/

Sorry I didn't post the link yesterday.

83-Steelers-43

04-05-2006, 11:07 AM

Agree...if his stock is dropping it's for a reason.

I think we can find a good bruiser back in a later round.

I agree. LenDale White is not the only bruising back in the draft. With Willie, Duce and Haynes, plus a bruising back later in the draft, I feel we will be fine. Actually, I'm more concerned with our WR/punt return situation. The comment from the GM is bad, but the comment from a former player is what has me concerned more than anything.

I could be wrong, but I think we all want a nice smash mouth type of back, but at what expense? Is it worth trading up and grabbing LenDale White? Personally, I never wanted him to begin with and after this report, it's sort of understandable. While I agree the Clarett comparison is off, but at the same time not everybody needs to be as bad as Clarett in order to completely bomb in the NFL. He's not worth it in my opinion.

BIGBENFASTWILLIE

04-05-2006, 11:26 AM

It White falls to 32...the steelers will not pass on him.....244lbs......hes could be like the bus........His work ethic will come along with a few kicks in the ass by cowher.

Midnightwriter1

04-05-2006, 11:33 AM

i did read this so couldbe a mute point ...... This means Broncos i guess lol

Adam Schefter of the NFL Network reports that a team "in the mid-teens" already has told USC RB LenDale White that it plans on drafting him .

( link ) http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story/9357955

83-Steelers-43

04-05-2006, 11:34 AM

Carett..........White...............Denver........ .hmmm. Leave it up to Shanny to try and babysit this kid.

tony hipchest

04-05-2006, 11:50 AM

if he makes it past denver i dont think he will slide by carolina

steel-EERS

04-05-2006, 01:18 PM

just looked at numerious mock drafts, about half have him falling to 32, there are alot of teams that gotta pick ahead of us but at least there is a chance.

Suitanim

04-05-2006, 02:27 PM

Supposedly, the Browns are interested too...

Haiku_Dirtt

04-05-2006, 02:34 PM

So he is pudgy right now. He'll fit the Steeler Org. well. Immature? A junior in college? What a shocker!

83-Steelers-43

04-05-2006, 03:02 PM

I'd love to know which one of his teammates made those comments.

SteelerFanInCA

04-05-2006, 03:23 PM

It White falls to 32...the steelers will not pass on him.....244lbs......hes could be like the bus........His work ethic will come along with a few kicks in the ass by cowher.
Totally agree with this. Cowher will kick his ass into shape. I attend most of the USC home games and like Koopa said, White is a Frickin beast on the field. We would be stupid if we had a chance to draft him and let him slip away. I believe he is one of those impact players that can hit the ground running and make a strong contribution right away.

If the coaches think that he is deserving to be the #32 selection, then its just a matter of getting him assimilated into the program. Hey Peezy... slap this boy into shape would ya.

BCEDGE

04-05-2006, 09:26 PM

Man, I really liked this guy. Starting to think otherwise now, if the above is true.

I view a lot of message boards and it is absolutely amazing to me how every board, every team is so gaga over this guy. I cannot figure out why. whats even more amazing is after this report came out, the spin doctors came out in full force.

I don't understand it. Even at his best this guy is no idfferent than many players that come out every year. The fascination with him is odd.

83-Steelers-43

04-13-2006, 06:23 PM

For what it's worth.............

NFL | L. White has hamstring tear
Thu, 13 Apr 2006 14:44:22 -0700

Mike Klis, of the Denver Post, reports USC RB LenDale White (hamstring) underwent an MRI on his right hamstring that showed he has a moderate tear near the pelvic region, according to Dr. Randall Eldridge, a Denver chiropractor renowned for his treatment of musculoskeletal injuries. The hamstring tear will sideline White until mid-May, which means White will not have a personal workout prior to the April 29 NFL Draft and may not be ready for the minicamp of the NFL team that selects him. 'He should recover fine,' Dr. Eldridge said. 'He just needs time to heal. But I could see where he would have been in considerable pain had he tried to run.' White hopes the tear found in his hamstring will ease NFL executive concerns about his work ethic. The extent of the potential damage to his draft value, however, won't be known until April 29.

Midnightwriter1

04-13-2006, 06:33 PM

all teams should stay away and let us have him at 32 lol

tony hipchest

04-13-2006, 06:36 PM

all teams should stay away and let us have him at 32 lol
the comparisons to m. clarett were rediculous all along, infact i bet denver started that. they did draft clarett. they would rather get white at 27 than at 15. it was probably their gm who said he needed a bra.

brilliant!

83-Steelers-43

04-13-2006, 08:05 PM

Going by the report, he should recover fine. Just not seeing and hearing many good things about him so far in this offseason. Going to be interesting to see where he falls in the draft.

tony hipchest

04-13-2006, 08:30 PM

Going by the report, he should recover fine. Just not seeing and hearing many good things about him so far in this offseason. Going to be interesting to see where he falls in the draft. w. mcgahee faced longer odds. i think i can say any team would be lucky to get him with as late of a pick at 32nd.

Volpe1564

04-15-2006, 05:24 PM

ok....first off White is not dumb, he know(or thinks he know) what he is doing. as far as Steeler attitude i think he has it. you cant just read one write up and sum it up. im on the west coast(feel sorry for me lol:dang: ) and ive seen alot of this kid and man he would be perfect for us. i would even say over Bush. until he takes the Ryan Leaf pill im gonna like him.